The Typical Day...

So what about the job?

So far the teaching job is going well. I leave my flat at 7:30 and arrive at school about 7:40. At 8:00 a song is played for about 5 minutes about love and starting a new day in a soft elevator muzak way that makes me think of "A Clockwork Orange" (I don't know why).

All the students line up in their designated locations based on their home room. The school Priest usually walks them through a morning prayer (usually on Mondays) and the kids give that criss cross amen at the end - they're forced to do this whether they are Catholic or not. Then the principal or another teacher will give them some sort of message. The kids stand at attention (more or less) for about 15-20 minutes. I have two strong English students who translate this for me. Sometimes I wonder if I'd rather them not - sometimes it's nice not to know what is going on so I can get surprised - like when I am sitting in my class wondering when my students will arrive - oh wait they are having an assembly? Oh okay there goes that lesson. Ha - I love the surprises.

8:30 classes begin. 40 minutes for each block. There are three 40 minute blocks before recess. Recess is 20 minutes. Then three more 40 minute blocks before lunch. Then three more 40 minute blocks after lunch. School ends at 3:40. I teach 5 blocks on Monday and Friday, 6 on Tuesday and Thursday and 7 on Wednesday. So I get at least 80 minutes of prep time each day.

Except...there are no substitute teachers here. If a teacher is sick other teachers have to pick up the block. Usually I have to sub a block on Monday. But it is different here. In Canada a sub is expected to cover the day's material. In Hong Kong you basically sit at the desk and let the kids talk or go to sleep. If the teacher is away the kids get a day to do nothing. I talk to them and give them some English conversation.

Fridays are shorter. The blocks are 35 minutes and the day starts at 9:05. I'd rather get off earlier than start the day later but so be it. Usually there is an assembly from 3-3:45.

Each class after a break is cut short. At the end of recess - a song is played the students line up and teachers stand at the microphone and give the student body more info. Then the teacher leads his/her students to the classroom. This also happens after Lunch. A lot of lining up and follow the leader. This happens more at my school because it is a band 3 school and we get more thugs. It's meant for discipline and consistent routine which makes sense. They need continual reminding of what is happening through the day. My 80 minute double blocks are usually 70 minutes by the time they get to class and books open. So be it.

Teachers are all expected to do extra-curricular activities - it is not a choice. You get some choice as to what you want to do but you have to do it. I am teaching choral speaking for a competition in November. Students are expected to show up and memorize a poem. The best students were hand picked for me - 42 students. 11 show up and only 3 pay any attention. Usually these things kids sign up and want to do. Here they're forced to do it. They have to come at Lunch time from 1:25 - 1:45. Usually the ones who come get there at 1:35. So ten minutes of practice! Oh well. the other teachers simply tell me not to panic that this is what all the schools are like. Still teachers will know how I feel. You have your class on stage to present a poem to an audience and you only get 1/4 of the students showing up to practice. At least with Drama - you generally get students who WANT to take drama. What's worse I am told is that many of them won't even show up on the day of the event. Oh well.

Classroom discipline is not really a problem in the violence department but most classes are noisy as kids talk throughout the lessons - they do this to their Chinese teachers as well. You don't send kids to the VP for discipline but a discipline teacher. One teacher is assigned to be the discipline teacher for given age group of students. You let them do the discipline/punishment for you. There is no punishment of course - just like in Canada/US/UK. I give them lines - at least they get some writing practice since they do nothing in the class. I give them the lines at the end of the day.

Still in general they're docile compared to the schools on the north island. No giant infants to deal with on a daily basis. Here I see one class for 80 minutes once per week. So a bad class or two I can handle since I am not seeing them daily. Unfortunately, the great classes I want to do more with and can actually teach some English to, I only see them once a week as well.

Teaching staff is easy to get along with and they've been nice to me.

Some more pictures

At the immigration center - this is presumably an immigration officer to avoid the lines. Skynet is real - just give it time.

The field near my place. To the left out of view is the high jump and long jump. My school will be here for their sports day on November 11 and 14th. I am running High Jump. I hate it when they give me the one kids can get seriously hurt doing. Why can't I get badminton? Figures.

Those massive apartment buildings are right on top of the MTR (subway) station and a 3 story shopping mall. All of this is about 6 minutes from my flat. Between the field and the MTR there is a big swimming pool.

Yes they were protesting here as well. New York was not alone. You can't see it too well but all the people are looking at other protesters in the distance. Lots of camera crews and Police just standing around. This is the difference between Hong Kong and China.

This is a daytime view out my bedroom window. Nina Tower is at far left. The bridge carries cars and the MTR train I can take to central Hong Kong or to the Airport. I am pretty much in the middle. People are out fishing in the water here and they're still alive. It actually looks not too bad. Air pollution is still so-so. There are 7 million people in Hong Kong which will create pollution but it's better than cities in Mainland China or places like Bangkok or Manilla. But not as good as Vancouver or Fukuoka. This photo is on a good day. Today it was considerably more yellowy but you can see the mountains. In Wenzhou most of the time you would not be able to see across the water.

Okay - I'm a guy. A couch and a TV. Give me time. I am going to get a giant plant to put by the window. I need a chair beside the couch so I can swivel the TV strait on. Still waiting for my next payment so I can afford stuff. I finally have my black leather couch. It is so comfy - It beats my bed in Canada.

The New Place

Moved into my new place October 6th. Bought furniture and the guys came and delivered the bed, put it all together in about 12 minutes - accepted no tip and left. Love it.

To the left is my dining room area - small but large enough for 4 chairs. It would be a good area for a stereo as well as it has corners. Where is Audio Note in Hong Kong? (hi-fi friends will get it). The right is my living room looks a bit larger than this photo. Straight ahead is my bedroom and second bedroom on the right, with the bathroom on the left. kitchen is behind me to the left. The ceilings are all nice and high maybe 11 feet.

To my Wenzhou teaching friends - look closely. Yes that is a Mattress! You can get them in Hong Kong. Sure beats the box spring we had to sleep on in Wenzhou. And it's very comfy. I lie back in bed and look out the window to see the boats going by, the MTR and airport express trains going by and of course the famous Nina Tower which has a lot of back story of intrigue behind it.

From my bedroom window with head on pillow. The Nina Tower with light display goes until about 11pm and then it's normal lighting after that. The colours change often with various designs.

My bathroom - it's so nice to have space. to the right is a full size bathtub. Yes yes put the toilet seat down - I know I know.

This is a view from the elevator. There are two elevators. This one is from the promenade to the second floor which takes you to the 6 apartment buildings. You then walk to your building where you take a normal non view lift to your floor. There is a faster route but I like this one.

GYM
To my P.E. Teacher friends. You would love the included Gym facilities. Yes it's free and so I have no excuse not to go. There are 11 nautilus machines, 5 treadmills, 6 stair masters, a rowing machine and 2 bikes. And full free weight sets up to about 200kg all look practically brand new and I believe we get a free trainer.

What else is part of the club. A games room for young children to play in with their parents that is really quite nice. A full size large air-hockey table and those quarter rides for kids. A study room, a gym that has 2 volleyball courts shared with basketball courts and fully padded walls (good for when I finally go off the beam), a squash court, sauna (free), billiards room and outside picnic tables with chessboards layouts imprinted into the table. There is also a lounge with newspapers to read or just relax. There is a fee to rent the squash courts and other rooms which is fair enough since people would book it and not show up. The fee is $10HKD which is $1.25 for half hour on the squash court. Can't really complain about that. The swimming pool is $10HKD and $30HKD for guests.

The pool is closed for the season because it's too cold. I have to laugh - it seems like a Vancouver summer here and it's too cold? Oh well it opens back up in March or April.

Also, for my PE teacher friends. Just outside my building is an outdoor mini-track with exercise bars and instructions on what to do. Within 5 minutes walk from my building is a football field and full track with long jump facilities in premium condition and stands. There is a public swimming pool right beside it with twisty water slides. The mini-track outside heads right into the stadium with the big track. Not far from all of this is a large outdoor tennis facility with about 12-15 tennis courts which are all in immaculate condition. It's nice when you don't have a bunch of people that make it their business to destroy public property because it's "fun."

And Tsing Yi MTR station is about 8 min walk from my place. This station is home to Maritime Square shopping mall with around 200 shops and is one of the bigger shopping malls. It has a full movie theater and of course Starbucks.

I shall take some pictures for a future blog but you can google "Tsing Yi" for better pictures of the area. My building is right on the promenade.

Fireworks

October 1 was a holiday though unlike in the West if a Holiday falls on the weekend they don't give you the following Monday off. Still, we don't get a day off due to rain so I won't complain.

A nice Fireworks show from my balcony in Kowloon. So this post is a conclusion to my time in the serviced apartment. The place was just too small to stay much longer than that. I am amazed that I saw a family of three staying in this size flat. Maybe there is a stow-away cabin that I never saw.

I will miss the local Indian Restaurant - terrific food and a low price. Unlike the Indian place in Wenzhou, Bombay Restaurant doesn't sell "H"omeless Chicken (my Wenzhou teacher friends will remember this), and I believe they change the oil here once in a whhh - well ever.

It's too bad it is located one block from Temple Street Market - the tourists pay the rather expensive prices for the mediocre Chinese food while Bombay is less money and a lot better. And they make it themselves - I see the owner buying the food at the grocery. The grandad is out handing out pamphlets to attract business and the sons are either cooking or waiting tables, while the owner's wife is out front trying to persuade people to give them a try.

The interior looks a bit like the back of an old taxi-cab with red linen (which is a nice way to say carpet) covers the seats and the booths which are a bit too low for the high tables. The ambiance inside consists of cramped dining for about 20 if packed and an LCD monitor showing the latest and greatest Bollywood music video. Strangely it is all very appealing and an escape from the fast paced non-stop flow of people and neon lights just beyond the doors. I usually make it a point to linger longer.

Yes, it's not exactly the most inviting of signs but the food is really good. I recommend the meal for one person, which two people can eat. For $11 Canadian you get Papadum, 3 large pieces of Naan, 2 Chicken Tika, 2 Samosas, some other deep fried vegetables (but not heavy), then one person would be full. The main course arrives which is rice with a bowl of curry (Lamb or Chicken - but if you ask for prawns or Beef instead they'll give it to you no extra charge). Then the bill comes and you wonder how they made any money.

Outside the restaurant and one block over is Temple Street Night Market. 5 watches for $10, Gucci purse for $5 (but only if you have someone like my friend Lawrence who will talk them down from $50. Every gizmo you could imagine and gizmos you thought were long gone like the dancing Coca-Cola cans and clocks that play Mozart or some other classical piece when the clock strikes the hour. If they had an A&W Rootbeer one and Vivaldi I would have probably been suckered. I did buy the 5 watches - it's been about 3 weeks and 4 of them are still working so all in all not too bad.

Temple Street also sells the food direct - so if you wish to cook a nice meal you can buy the hanging lettuce? Umm? Or the long mystery sausage or the - oh I just can't look anymore.

I have seen a number of these donation bins throughout Hong Kong and this one is close to my building. To the right, is a blue bin for paper recycling and two other recycle bins for plastics and metals. These are all over the place, in malls, on the streets, at school, and in my new apartment building. They also charge .50 per bag in the grocery stores. They're doing a good job here keeping it clean and recycling. I still don't understand why anyone here would want to own a car. I went from Central (the core of Hong Kong) to Tsing Yi where I currently live and considered a bit out of the way - it took 12 minutes by Subway. I can't see anyone driving that in less than 30 minutes and the pay parking is about $10 Cad after you spend 15 minutes trying to find a spot.